


Outside Looking In

by Aniyu_Shadowraven



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akechi mentioned, F/F, Gen, M/M, Multi, Sojiro just needs to adopt Akira, Spoilers for post-interrogation cutscenes, Spoilers up through sixth palace, mentions of semi-graphic injuries but nothing too bad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-19
Updated: 2017-06-19
Packaged: 2018-11-15 23:10:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11241228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aniyu_Shadowraven/pseuds/Aniyu_Shadowraven
Summary: Akira’s time in interrogation was not pleasant. Physical and mental abuse. Drugs. The thrill of having pulled of faking his death in spite of everything did not erase the wounds, the lingering haziness of his mind, the bone-deep exhaustion. A full night and most of a day of isolated rest in his guardian’s home helped, but was not some instant heal. But he can’t be separated from his team for any longer; so they get to see exactly the shape he’s in. And Sae and Sojiro get to see the interplay.akaThere is no way Akira healed overnight from that interrogation. So here’s a more emotionally-charged reunion that I would have loved to see, just not from the Phatom Thieves' perspectives.





	Outside Looking In

**Author's Note:**

> -Spoilers up through the post-interrogation cutscenes  
> -A lot of dialogue taken/adjusted directly from the game  
> -Thoughts are italicized  
> -pairings hinted but not explicitly confirmed: Yusuke/Akira, Makoto/Haru  
> -Arsene mentioned, because I flat out refused to execute him (aka I got lucky and had two other fusion material Personas during the tutorial section)

After managing to still his heart from a near attack, Sojiro scowled at just how little the Niijima woman had said before taking off. Not that he wasn’t glad his charge was alive, but an explanation – _any_ explanation– would’ve been appreciated. A groan of pain and the slight sagging of weight in his arms snapped the older man out of his irritation, allowing him to really take a look at his charge.

It wasn’t a pleasant picture.

Uniform ruffled, stained, and ripped. Visible skin deathly pale and littered with stripes and blotches of black, purple, yellow, and red. Black hair matted with sweat and blood, fringe hiding the eyes. The pink tinge of a light fever on pallid cheeks. Body trembling while trying to keep weight off the left leg and an arm bracing the abdomen.

It was enough to make Sojiro want to hunt down and hurt someone. For all that he’d griped at and teased the teen, Sojiro had _never_ wanted his charge to end up in such a state. No child –because he was still just that, at least for a couple more years– should have to be harmed, let alone brutalized as Akira clearly had been. It just made Sojiro angrier to realize that even _if_ he could get ahold of a doctor this late to look the teen over, it was far from safe to do so since the police were claiming Akira –or rather the Phantom Thieves’ leader– was dead. That meant he would need to do what he could on his own…without letting Futaba see, because he wasn’t sure what her reaction would be. And if Futaba saw him, it wouldn’t be long before the rest of his friends were informed, and Sojiro wasn’t sure how they would react either.

All the better that she was currently out on a snack run and had already told him she would be staying in Leblanc for the night. Something about keeping the cat company.

“…I’d ask how you keep getting yourself into so much trouble, but I’m starting to think Fate just needs to find a new chew toy,” Sojiro said quietly with a sigh. “Let’s get you cleaned up and put to bed. We’ll see if you’ll need major medical attention after that.”

After closing the door, Sojiro pulled the teen’s free arm over his shoulders, hefting him up ever so slightly so the older man bore most of his weight. Akira tensed from pain briefly before he huffed a strained laugh.

“…Sorry…’m so…troublesome…”

Giving a crooked smirk, Sojiro just chuckled at the cheeky brat while carrying him up to the washroom. Once there, Sojiro carefully assisted in getting Akira’s ruined blazer and shirt off, and found himself extremely glad none of the teen’s friends were present to see the result.

Least concerning were the scrapes and scratches that were primarily across his arms and lower back. The teen’s stomach was a massive bruise, black enough that Sojiro pressed gently to make sure it was just a bruise and not internal bleeding. The skin over his ribcage wasn’t as badly bruised, but Sojiro could tell by Akira’s strained gasps that his ribs were very tender. His wrists were a mess of bruises and cuts, obviously from struggling in too tight handcuffs. His arms had several hand-shaped bruises, though these were the lightest ones. His back had three large, shoe-shaped, bruises that darkened considerably at the heel section. And of most concern were three needle punctures between his left shoulder blade and neck.

“Damn, they really did a number on you,” Sojiro hissed out, quickly going for the first aid kit he kept under the sink. “Any idea what they shot you up with? You might need a doctor before dawn if it’s really nasty stuff.”

“…Sae-san…mentioned…truth serum…Dunno…what else…”

Wracking his brain for what might have been likely, Sojiro tentatively settled on sedatives. “Probably sedatives to keep you from fighting back too hard…All right, let’s clean these as much as possible, then get you put to bed. Keeping you awake too much longer isn’t going to help, and I can’t give you any painkillers or fever medicine until I’m sure whatever is in your system has weakened enough not to cause a reaction.”

Akira could only give a half-hearted agreement, but Sojiro was a little relieved to see steel in the teen’s eyes. He was battered, but clearly not broken if that look was anything to go by. Still, his ordeal had certainly taken its toll, and Sojiro feels horrid that it takes about an hour to get the teen clean enough to be semi-comfortable in bed. Settling his charge in Sojiro’s own bed, the cafe owner set up a chair beside him to monitor the light fever.

“…My friends…okay…?”

Sojiro paused for brief second while wringing out a cool, damp cloth, then chuckled a little helplessly as he reached out to ruffle the teen’s hair a bit. “As far as I know, they’re all fine. Worry about yourself for now.”

The assurance seems to be enough to let Akira drop off, and the semi-privacy lets Sojiro visibly grimace. _How okay they’ll be when they see you again is a different story…_

…-…-…-…

Thanks to Akira’s fever breaking far quicker than expected, Sojiro was able to get enough rest to open the cafe, though he let Futaba sleep well past noon since he didn’t want her going home and coming across Akira’s state alone. When she did wake, Futaba announced that she’d received a text from her and Akira’s friend Makoto; everyone would be at Leblanc after school since her sister needed to talk to them. It was right about then that he was contacted via the landline by Sae Niijima to confirm she would be there after work to discuss the situation with him, Akira, and Akira’s friends.

Honestly Sojiro wasn’t sure that it was a good idea for the group to see Akira in his current state, but it was pretty clear he wasn’t really getting a say in the matter either. Plus, Akira had been concerned enough about his friends the prior night that he likely would have kept himself awake if Sojiro hadn’t been able to reassure him of their health. It was probably better for _Akira’s_ health that he be able to see his friends for himself.

That didn’t stop Sojiro from feeling some dread at the impending reunion.

He distracted himself for a little bit by encouraging Futaba to go pick up some snacks for the meeting, then slipping upstairs to grab Akira’s spare uniform. He closes the cafe for the few minutes it takes to deliver the clothes to his charge and wake him up long enough to tell him about the meeting. He’s back long before Futaba, who returns with two huge bags of snacks and Akira’s cat lounging across her shoulders.

It’s not too long after that Akira’s friends start arriving. Ann and Ryuji are first, both looking a little too casual considering the worry in their eyes. They go straight upstairs when Sojiro tells them Futaba is waiting. Next come the prosecutor’s sister and the more recent addition to the group, Makoto and Haru. Haru is showing clear signs of lingering grief and recent stress but still gives a sweet smile and inquires into Sojiro’s day. Makoto also has a tightness to her face and posture that tells of stress –and she stands close to Haru in a clearly protective position–, but also makes kind inquiries and offers her thanks for letting them meet with her sister in the cafe. Sojiro feels oddly guilty thanking them for asking, promising them fresh coffee and sending them up to join the other three.

The artist, Yusuke, comes in alone –and though Sojiro isn’t aware of it yet, he’ll be the last to arrive–, and he lingers for a few moments. Sojiro assumes he wants to contemplate “Sayuri” for a little and continues preparing the coffee. His thoughts wander off to his charge as he feels a flash of nostalgia, knowing it would normally be Akira making coffee for his friends.

“Is Akira well?”

Sojiro nearly jumps at the question, instead pausing in his pouring to look at the asker. Yusuke looks pale and tired, but his eyes are sharp, trained on Sojiro with a knowing and some edge like desperation. The cafe owner hesitates and thinks over his answer. He’d be lying if he said Akira was okay, but it wasn’t true that he was in critical condition. Thus, as much as what Sojiro chose to say was fact, it was also a very bare-bones empty comfort that made him feel like crap.

“He’s whole at least.”

Something Sojiro didn’t have a name for blazed in Yusuke’s expression before he forcefully blanked it, the boy nodding his understanding before offering to take the coffee up for him. The older man decided that was probably for the best, handing the coffee over and watching the teen go upstairs.

Hours passed, forcing Sojiro to listen to the news repeatedly cycling between Masayoshi Shido’s _‘sparkling’_ campaign and the police claiming the Phantom Thieves’ leader committed suicide. Neither were good for his blood pressure, but his more pompous regular had come in and was keeping up a running commentary. Finally, when Sojiro found himself seriously contemplating punching the man, he made the call to close the cafe just so he could boot the man out.

Just in time too, as barely a minute after the customer left, Sae Niijima walked in. It was interesting to see her both so tired and frustrated, but with a gleam of victory in her eyes as well. Much different from the overbearing aggression she’d displayed earlier in the summer.

“I’m sorry I’m late. I had to finish a few things at work. Where are they?”

Though he did feel a little guilty for it, Sojiro was glad he could foist off calling the group of teens down on her. “Waiting upstairs. Go tell them to come on down. I’m gonna fetch him, and close the shop while I’m at it.”

It took only a few minutes to get home and go upstairs. Part of him was surprised to see Akira sitting up, showered and already dressed in the spare uniform. Another part of him was a little worried that the teen had done nothing to cover up the bruises and injuries on his face and wrists.

“You aren’t going to bandages those?”

Akira gave a lopsided smirk, tired fondness clear in his eyes. “Bandages would make them worry more, and they’d know if I tried to just cover them up. It’ll be painful for them, but it’s better for them to see it head on.”

Sojiro wasn’t sure he agreed with that, but it was probably best to trust Akira’s judgement in this. “If you say so… Well, let’s get going, your friends and that Niijima woman are waiting at the cafe.”

…-…-…-…

Sae wasn’t really sure what to expect when she called down what she knew were going to be the remaining Phantom Thieves. It was still hard for her to process everything that had happened from the moment she had started interrogating Akira to now, even more so because she now knew for certain that her own sister was a Phantom Thief –thanks to her coming clean once Sae returned home last night. Still, she did her best to brace herself, because there were more questions she needed to ask, and these teens were the only ones with the answers.

Oddly enough, it was a cat that came down first, bright blue eyes locked on her as if they could read every secret in her soul just by staring at her hard enough. Remembering from Akira’s and Makoto’s stories that this was no ordinary cat, Sae turned one of the bar chairs around and gestured to it silently. She could swear it _smirked_ at her before obligingly leaping on the chair and letting out a loud meow toward the stairs.

Next came a boy and a girl in Shujin uniforms, Ryuji and Ann as Sae recognized from photos that had been included in her case files. While everything about the boy _screamed_ difficult, rebellious teenager, Sae was pretty sure the wariness and anger he was directing at her was probably justified. The girl also looked wary, but her posture was softer, clearly attempting to look non-threatening if not welcoming. Nearly completely hidden at Ann’s back was a slightly smaller girl with long ginger hair, expression carefully neutral but body nearly vibrating with who knew what kind of emotions. Sae knew this had to be Futaba, and felt a lance of guilty pain in her heart for the trouble she’d caused the girl and her guardian.

The three of them arranged themselves in a way Sae couldn’t help but analyze. Futaba stood so that the chair the cat was on was between her and Sae, lightly leaning against the bar top while still looking rather stiff, ready to step back in an instant. Ann stopped just in front of Futaba, positioned so her left side blocked Futaba’s right from view in a clearly protective way. Her stance was loose and casual, but Sae could see her fists flexing as if wishing she could grip on to something. Ryuji stayed even with Ann, but took a position leaning against the nearby booth. He actually had the most laid-back position, with hands in his pockets and one leg stretched a little bit forward, the other bent. But Sae noted the way his feet were positioned, and she had no doubt he was ready and capable of throwing himself between her and the girls at a moment’s notice.

Those three had just settled as the remaining three came down. Sae’s heart clenched and warmed to see Makoto walking proud and protectively beside the curly-haired Haru. While Makoto’s eyes were relieved and welcoming, Haru had the look of someone very nervous but resolved. At their back was a tall, elegant male with a gaze so cold and blank she might as well be looking a sheet of ice or a wall of marble –Yusuke, Sae was certain. The girls separated a little as they took position. Haru stopped a few feet directly behind Ryuji in a way that said she would take his place if he moved, and Makoto halted about a foot behind Futaba to easily pull her back –if the position of her hands was anything to go by. Yusuke came to a rest in between them and just behind Makoto’s shoulder; the rear guard, but also capable of leaping forward to assist in frontal defense.

Maybe she was over thinking it, but with Akira’s and Makoto’s stories in her mind Sae doubted it. These were combat capable and ready teens, and they cared enough about each other to keep their guards up even with a potential friendly before them. Sae wondered if they’d be more defensive or calmer once Akira was back with them.

Sae was pulled from her thoughts as Haru broke the silence before it could really linger. “You’re… Mako-chan’s sister, correct?”

The pet name made Sae smile, even more so at the faint blush that stole across her sister’s face. “Makoto told me everything…” Having said that, however, Sae let the smile go and turned toward someone she needed to apologize to. Bowing, Sae gave voice to what she was sure would be the first of many apologies that night. “Futaba-chan… I’m sorry that I caused you so much trouble this past summer…”

“Eh, it’s ancient history now.”

Sae couldn’t help but blink in surprise at the easy forgiveness, the sweet if cheeky smile that broke Futaba’s neutral expression. In a way, Sae wasn’t sure she deserved it, but decided the better part of valor would be to accept it as is and smiled back.

What could have been a light-hearted moment was broken, however, by Ryuji, who through his anger and disgust made it clear that even if she was forgiven, there was someone he wouldn’t forgive. “But man, that _goddamn_ detective!”

That nearly made Sae wince, but also stirred up her own anger. She’d had plenty of opportunity during work that day to stew over how Akechi had played her and nearly assassinated someone with impunity. If it weren’t for the fact that it would’ve put her and these teens in jeopardy, she would have punched the smug bastard in his smiling face; she had a feeling that would certainly be the first thing Ryuji did if he ever saw Akechi in person again.

The tinkling of the store bells interrupted anything she could have said to Ryuji in response, and Sojiro’s forced cheer charged the tension in the room rather than dispel it.

“Look who’s here!”

Sae didn’t immediately turn to look, instead she watched the teens’ expressions. There was, of course, the expected happiness and relief but that very quickly turned to shock, worry, and protective anger, all in the space of maybe two breaths. As the teens all rushed passed her with Akira’s name on their lips, she finally turned to look at the young man herself and withheld a grimace.

_He looks better than when I dropped him off, the clean uniform helps. But he’s no where near a hundred percent yet. He really shouldn’t even be out of bed._

She could tell Sojiro agreed with her sentiments, but kept out of the way so Akira’s friends could get ahold of him. That was when Sae realized the cat hadn’t gone forward, and she looked back at the chair she’d pulled out for it. Its eyes were scanning over Akira intently, and Sae suspected by the sparks of anger she could actually identify that it was cataloguing every injury it could see on the teen. Unsheathed claws were buried in the chair’s upholstery, and Sae felt no pity for who would end up under those tiny instruments of torture.

“H-Hey, you big bastard!”

“How’ve you been?”

Sae turned her attention back to the teens at Ryuji’s, and apparently Ann’s, greetings. Ryuji and Yusuke were bracketing Akira between them, and Sae was pretty sure she could see Yusuke carefully probing Akira’s right side to find hidden injuries with the arm he’d wrapped around the slightly shorter male. The girls were all gathered close with Futaba directly in front of Akira and flanked by Ann and Haru. Makoto was still directly behind Futaba, having taken over Yusuke’s position as rear guard. It was a testament to just how close Akira was with them all that he didn’t make any indications of wanting space, but instead lightly leaned his weight into the two males and gently pat Futaba on the head in sibling affection, all while sending the other girls reassuring looks.

“Ghostly, but I’ll be all right.”

The attempt at humor wasn’t necessarily a good one, considering while it did get strained laughs out of the girls, Sae could feel the tension in the room ramp up sharply. She felt trepidation as clear looks of vengeance shot across Ryuji’s and Yusuke’s faces, and she was pretty sure she heard Futaba muttering about hacking the interrogation footage. Akira settled them all with a glance and a few calming pats to Futaba’s head, but Sae couldn’t help but wonder how long that would appease them.

There were a few more greetings before Ryuji once again brought up the rocky subject of Akechi, his voice sounding oddly cruel as he tried to joke about it. “I bet that moron Akechi don’t even know we tricked him yet!”

Sojiro was clearly confused, reminding Sae that she really hadn’t explained anything to the man before leaving; but the sheer depth of his confusion made her wonder just how wrong she’d been concerning how much he knew about these teens’ doings.

“Still how’d you pull this off? Akira is considered dead, isn’t he?”

Makoto glanced between Akira and Sae in surprise, voicing it and making Sae feel a little worse. “You weren’t told anything, Boss? But I thought my sister brought him here…”

Sojiro answered before Sae could, and Sae could admit the annoyed glare he threw her was justified. “Yeah. She came over in a taxi, dumped him off, and told me to keep him safe. It was right after they announced he had _‘died’_ too. Almost gave me a heart attack.”

Though she knew it was a weak defense, her response was nonetheless true. “I didn’t have time to explain… Between getting him here safely then getting away and home before anyone could get suspicious of me…then getting your side of the story he told me, Makoto… Honestly, I’m still trying to process it all myself.”

There was silence for a moment, broken by Ryuji who gave her a surprisingly sympathetic look. “Hey, shouldn’t we tell them what really happened?” The question was directed to Akira, but the whole group answered with nods.

“Let’s get comfortable first. This could take a while to explain,” Ann insisted, and the group moved as one.

Futaba settled into the booth Ryuji had been initially leaning against with Haru taking a seat beside her. Akira was urged into the seat across from them with Yusuke sitting beside him, probably as a shield. Ryuji and Ann stayed standing between Yusuke and the bar counter, a wall against anyone who might come in through the door, thus causing Sojiro to go behind the counter and start making fresh coffee out of habit. Makoto gestured for Sae to take a seat, so she pulled up a chair between Haru’s seat and the cat’s, leaving Makoto to lean against the bar between her and the cat. Sae noted the circular pattern and how it primarily kept Futaba and Akira in protected positions.

_Fiercely protective, no doubt about it._

It was Makoto who started the explanations, and while the conversation was initially about Akechi it also turned into a surprising explanation about the cat too.

“He slipped up in regards to Morgana’s voice,” Ann stated with a grin, leaning back against the bar a little smugly, but that just shocked Sojiro, which Sae could sympathize with. Even with both Akira’s and Makoto’s stories featuring a talking, magical cat, it was hard to believe when it looked and sounded ordinary.

“You mean our cat?”

“Yep. Morgana can talk.”

“…Sorry, was that supposed to be a joke?”

This time, Haru was the one to speak up, her sheepish tone indicating that she’d forgotten that only their group regularly spoke to the cat. “Oh! Our apologies. That’s completely true.”

The cat letting out a loud meow, and looking so utterly sly and smug that Sae was certain it was teasing her and Sojiro, made Sae ask the obvious question. “Does that mean…he said something just now as well?”

Ann nodded at her, grin still in place. “But you don’t understand him, do you? That’s how it was for all of us at first too.”

It was Futaba who actually explained the phenomena. “When you’re in the Metaverse, Mona talks like a normal person. Once you hear that and your brain realizes he can actually talk, you start to understand him in reality. It’s a change in cognition! Most likely anyway.”

With that, the following recount of when Akira, Ryuji, Ann, and Morgana first actually met Akechi made more sense, especially once the group described how Akechi essentially blackmailed them into letting him join them at the school festival. Their observation skills, along with the knowledge that Futaba was skilled enough to wiretap a smartphone without suspicion, honestly gave Sae chills.

The recording of the damning phone conversation they’d acquired because of the wiretap was even more chilling. Sojiro managed to voice it for her.

“Is this for real…?”

By the end of the recording, Sae honestly felt nauseous. But her experience as a prosecutor helped her force the nausea down. There was more to discuss after all. “I knew he was acting strangely…but to think he was this far gone…”

“He’s no ace detective. Akechi is the perpetrator behind the mental shutdown crimes,” Haru stated plainly, angrier than Sae had seen her any time before.

“On top of that, there’s someone else commanding Akechi,” Makoto pointed out, clearly more for Sojiro’s benefit than Sae’s since she glanced toward the cafe owner. “Someone with great authority…so, great they can order an assassination in a police station. That’s why we had to make a move before they did.”

“I see…” From the growing grim horror in Sojiro’s eyes, and knowing he formerly worked in the government, Sae could guess he really did.

Makoto then turned to Sae to voice her next words. “We baited Akechi into Sis’s Palace, making him dispose of our leader’s fake but think he killed him.”

It was a straightforward summary, but Sae wanted, _needed_ , to understand the details. So she asked for them. “Can you all elaborate on that in more detail? While both you and Akira told me the story, I’m still not sure I understand. What exactly happened in my cognitive world in context with your plan?”

Sae was a little bemused that the explanation started with an apology, from Haru no less, but she appreciated it as much as it confused her. “We’re sorry for using you without your permission. Your Palace had all the conditions we needed…”

“What conditions?”

The following descriptions of the functions of a Palace and its parallels to reality, and how the group took advantage of that were mind-boggling. It also hurt and warmed her to know she was the main reason Makoto had become involved with the Phantom Thieves at all. But, primarily, Sae found herself equally awed and uneasy that this one group of teens had the skills, the courage, and the trust to pull such a plan off successfully, as was proven with Akira safely sitting among them.

“Akechi disposed of the fake in the Palace, and left thinking he had been victorious,” Yusuke commented as the explanation started to wind down, a faint sneer on his face that melted into humor-tinged concern as he looked to Akira. “It must have been truly hilarious for our leader who sat idly in the real world’s interrogation room.”

Though Sae took note of the oddly gentle expression on Akira’s face, she put it aside in favor of the realization that hit her. “So that’s why you pointed out your phone… I only kept it because of what you told me. Normally I would’ve handed it off to the Evidence Department.”

She got a sly but warm smirk from Akira for her words, but his attention was quickly taken by Yusuke, who seemed determined to subtly prod him for knowledge that he had indeed been safe between the interrogation and when Sae retrieved him. “It’s a shame I didn’t have the opportunity to see that for myself.”

“I couldn’t see it either.” Not exactly a reassuring response, but not a worrying one either, and Sae found herself more fixated on Futaba’s repeated mutter of hacking the interrogation room camera. Concerned, because honestly she didn’t think these kids needed to see what was likely one of the more brutal interrogations this year, Sae tried to distract the girl.

“All I could do was try to handle all the messages that started coming to me on his phone…” Thinking it over a second, Sae made a minor realization. “Huh. So in other words, I’ve been to the Metaverse, albeit for a brief moment.”

She must have sounded concerned, as Yusuke actually tried to give her some comforting words. “In our experience, there is little danger when someone enters their own Palace for so short a time.”

A quick explanation of the phone’s importance of not only getting Akechi into the Palace, but herself in and out so quickly without running into Akechi again left Sae reeling a bit. That the teens, and _especially_ Akira, had willing gone through with and succeeded in the plan was stunning, and prompted her next question.

“Still, I’m surprised you could convince me in such a short time. Were you confident you could do it?”

The way her heart wrenched at his response was almost enough to overshadow the room’s tension spiking again. “I don’t really remember honestly. It’s hard to think back through the haze the drugs forced on me during that time.”

“That’s understandable… Either way, I can’t believe you went for such a risky idea…”

Makoto’s passionate plea for understanding, without actually pleading, tugged at Sae’s heart but all she could do was look back on it all and laugh a bit helplessly. “This is stunning… All I can do is laugh…” That earned her a hand on the shoulder from her sister, and sympathetic looks from all the teens.

The moment was broken by Sojiro bringing up a reasonable question. “I’ve kinda figured out that you guys made Akechi kill a fake… But what did you do about the _body_?”

It was something Sae could answer easily, derision clear in her voice. “The police never even checked it. They had a coroner working to ensure Akira-kun’s death was reported as a suicide.” Sae almost smirked at the incredulous sound Sojiro made, and noted that the Phantom Thieves weren’t surprised at all. “That coroner didn’t take one look at the scene, and just passed along a falsified death certificate.”

“…The bad guys have _that_ much influence?” The frustration on Sojiro’s face evoked sympathy from Sae; it was hard for her to accept too, but necessary.

“Murder in a police station would be reckless otherwise,” Makoto pointed out in Sae’s stead. “We also knew of a possible conspirator.”

“Thanks to Futaba-chan’s messages and the guard’s demeanor, I eventually came to understand… And since the higher-ups in the police knew nothing of this, they were thrown into disarray,” Sae added to her sister’s information before scowling. “As a result, Akira-kun’s suicide during imprisonment was reported on the news, clearly just as Akechi planned.”

“And with that confusion, Akira-kun was able to escape with Niijima-san’s help,” Ann put in, her face a mix of gratitude and reassurance that made Sae smile.

“I made sure nobody would check the morgue for his body, and thanks to that, nobody knows he survived.” There was a note of accomplishment in Sae, now that she really understood the situation leading to this moment. How long had it been since she’d felt like she had saved someone? That accomplishment went away with Makoto’s next words, making Sae realize she had misunderstood Futaba’s earlier mutters. She wasn’t _going_ to hack the interrogation; she already _had_ , and these teens knew _exactly_ what had been done to their leader.

“Thinking back to the interrogation though… I can’t _believe_ what they did to Akira-kun…” Makoto’s voice was full of deadly anger, and the atmosphere in the room turned absolutely menacing. “The callous use of violence and even drugs is utterly _abnormal_. If he had lost consciousness and hadn’t been able to tell Sis about the phone, he would’ve _died_ …”

If Sae thought these teens had managed to chill her before, it was nothing compared to now. With Makoto slightly in front of her, Sae couldn’t see her expression, but the tight fists and steel-straight spine spoke volumes. Haru and Ann were glaring at the floor, eyes practically on fire with their anger as they gripped the edges of seat and counter respectively. Futaba was rapidly tapping at her computer that she’d pulled out sometime during the explanation, and there was a near homicidal gleam in her eyes as she pressed her lips thin and clenched her jaw closed. Ryuji was practically vibrating, his entire demeanor livid with fists in pockets and one leg tapping wildly; his eyes promised pain, pure and simple. The cat, Morgana, once again had his claws out, but now his eyes were narrowed to deadly slits and his ears were folded back, tail trashing in that universal cat-sign of annoyance. But somehow Yusuke looked the most frightening, still as rock and expression blank, but an arm behind Akira’s back in protection and pure murder in his eyes.

Considering the powers these teens had access to, Sae knew there was a legitimate concern of them being more than able of seeking revenge, violently, and getting away with it.

“I’m right here. I’m alive.”

Like a splash of water, the calm, strong assurance from Akira tamed, though didn’t dispel, the feel of violence in the air. Sae could tell it was an unconscious move, but each teen leaned ever so slightly in Akira’s direction and for a long moment couldn’t take their eyes off of him. Akira himself had an expression that matched the calm of his voice and something like appreciation, accepting and not condemning his friends’ feelings toward the ordeal he went through.

_That is one strong kid._

“I’m…truly glad we got you back safe, Akira-kun.” Makoto sounded near tears, and all Sae could do was place a hand on her back in comfort.

“If it helps, I don’t remember most of it. Honestly, Niijima-san’s questioning is the clearest memory for me,” Akira said softly, a hand going up to rub his neck likely out of habit.

Thinking back to her behavior during that interview, Sae grimaced and looked down with some shame. “Don’t…push yourself too hard. You shouldn’t have to have those memories weighing on you.”

There was quiet for a moment before the teens began expressing how they had felt during the suicide announcement, explaining how they had laid low waiting for confirmation they had succeeded. Sae couldn’t help but smile at the care they all had for their leader, Yusuke apparently summing up most of their feelings best.

“We knew he was alive, but…it was difficult to not worry until we could confirm it in person.”

The look he exchanged with Akira felt oddly intimate, and Sae couldn’t help but hide a smile as she suspected the true nature of it. Still, her amusement faded as something occurred to her.

“Now that I think about it, my interrogation was just a formality for the head commander. What a joke, letting me interrogate someone who was meant to die. They just wanted to avoid backlash…” With this, and everything else she had learned in mind, she made a decision and sent a smile at Akira. “Very well. From here forward, I will do my utmost to assist you. You saved me, after all.”

The smiles and gratitude for her choice were the best thing she’d seen in what felt like years. Sojiro apparently reaffirming and even expanding his own assistance –if the response to his offer of the cafe’s first floor was anything to go by– was also good to see. The break he offered was welcome, everyone taking a bit of time to just enjoy some coffee and curry. Sae couldn’t help but notice the staggering difference between when these teens were serious and when they were relaxed.

The only word she could really come up for it was: _frightening_. That conviction only grew stronger as they soon discussed what to do moving forward, figured out a prime suspect, and came up with a plan of action.

Once the group settled on checking out the Diet Building, the conversation wound down enough that Sae felt certain they could break for the night. Akira apparently had the same thought and called for the end of the meeting.

“We have a plan. For now, we should focus on resting. You all still have school, after all, and I should probably let my injuries settle a little more.”

The worry came back to the teens tenfold, though Sae noted how they paused at Morgana’s meowing. “What’s Morgana saying?”

“Oh! He’s suggesting we take a trip to the Metaverse so we can use some healing abilities on his wounds,” Haru explained. “It won’t help his exhaustion, but he won’t be hurt anymore and it will head off any infections without having to risk taking him to a hospital.”

“But, wouldn’t that lady doctor be willing to treat him anyway?” Ann mentioned, peaking Sae interest, though she said nothing.

“She would, but I’d rather not draw attention to her like that,” Akira confirmed. “I’ve never gone to her injured, so if anyone sees me spending too long there now that her research is done, it’ll peak too much interest. Morgana’s idea is a good one, so he and I will make a quick trip into the Metaverse while you all are at school.” He then gave a wry smile. “Then I’ll go back to bed so you guys don’t have to worry about me overdoing it.”

“Why don’t we just go now,” Yusuke countered, and Sae nearly laughed at the pout that came over Akira as the other teens nodded. “It will only take a few minutes, and this way we won’t have to worry about you and Morgana being ambushed without backup.”

“But it’s late, and you all still need to catch your trains,” Akira pointed out, reasonably, only to get shutdown by Futaba.

“No arguments! Seeing as we need to go to the station to access Mementos anyway, they’ll be more then close enough to head off once we’re done. Now _up_ , mister!”

It was amusing to watch the group fawn over the teen, who wasn’t trying too hard to get out of it. But Sae still took note of how they arranged themselves. Yusuke remained pretty much glued to Akira’s side with Futaba latching on to her pseudo-sibling’s free arm and Morgana lounging around his shoulders. The other four encircled them, with Makoto just in front of Futaba and Ryuji behind them, while Haru mirrored her on Yusuke’s side with Ann mirroring Ryuji. A solid wall against the world as much as a portrayal of tightly knit friends…no, _family_. And they moved to these positions as naturally as breathing, eyes constantly flicking around to look for danger.

_The strength and ability to change the world with the morality to only pursue evil… But the love and trust to use it in defense of each other… What frightening teenagers indeed…I only hope the worst is over, and they don’t get pushed to the edge._

…-… **Omake: Reunion** …-…

“Look who’s here!”

Akira glared at Sojiro’s back for the forced joy. He knew his teammates were aware he wasn’t in good shape; while he’d explicitly told them _not_ to hack into the interrogation room’s camera, he had no doubt they probably did it anyway. Thus, he knew his team was already going to be on edge, and cheer would not be appreciated. One look at them all before he was rushed confirmed all he needed to know.

_Right, ply Ann and Haru with sweets and coffee for the next month or so to keep them **far** away from their homicidal urges. Lock Ryuji in the batting cages so he can hit things **without** causing permanent damage. Slip Niijima-san a list of books Makoto has been after so she will have a distraction from plotting various murders. In the meantime set Futaba a list of excursions to get her used to going in public and insist Makoto help her until those books arrive. That should also keep Futaba from hacking into any weapons of mass destruction **or** draining the banks accounts of every government official and police officer in Japan. Convince Morgana to stalk each of them in rotation to make sure no one else is following them and keep him from worrying over me…and give me some privacy because I think Yusuke wants **several** words with me._

As they all subtly, and not so subtly in Yusuke’s case, patted him down looking for the injuries hidden under his clothes, Akira revised his mental list at the homicidal mania that was burning in their eyes.

_Never mind, just make them take a trip into Mementos for several hours and restrict them to the first couple levels. Demolishing weak Shadows should temper their aggressions until we can find another Palace to infiltrate._

…-… **Omake: Mementos** …-…

“Strip.”

Akira gave a baleful glare at Yusuke’s demand. “Fox, I already know you guys saw the interrogation footage. I might not remember most of what happened, but I know it wasn’t good. Let’s skip the inspection and just heal me so we can get home.”

“I don’t think that was a request, Joker,” Makoto butt in, her tone mild but her eyes livid. “We need to make sure we don’t miss anything, and cataloguing your injuries will help us properly prepare for future encounters.”

Baleful stare turned completely flat and was shifted to the brunette. “You’re usually more eloquent than that, Queen. I am _not_ giving you guys more ammunition for your anger.”

“But, Joker-kun–“

"Joke~e~er–"

“Don’t give me those puppy eyes, Noir, Oracle. Look, Niijima-san is waiting on us, and we shouldn’t stick around here too long incase Akechi decides to take a stroll through.”

“ _Let_ that little shit come crawlin’ in here. _I’ll_ –“

“ _No_ , Skull. You aren’t doing anything to Akechi, it would tip him off.”

“Besides, you probably just want to _‘beat him to a pulp’_ , right? That’s _far_ too crude and simple for what he deserves. What we _should_ do is–“

“Mona don’t give him, or the others, any id–– _Hey!_ Panther, what the _hell?!_ ” Akira whipped around as his coat was yanked off of him, nearly losing his balance if Yusuke’s arm hadn’t immediately latched around his waist.

“You’re taking too long, and like you said, Niijima-san is waiting on us. C’mon guys, let’s get this done.”

Akira squirmed and growled as his team _‘assisted’_ him in striping down, throwing a glare out toward the Velvet Room entrance where he could see Justine trying to muffle her giggles. _Great, and now I’m gonna hear it from the twins the next time I set foot in the Velvet Room. Remind me why I love these guys again?_

A deep, ethereal laugh from somewhere behind him made him growl even more. _Shut it, Arsene! You’re not helping!_

**END**


End file.
